Everyone in the community attends the December Ceremony, which is held in the Auditorium. The Ceremony begins with the Naming and Placement of newborns. When Jonas' friend Fiona goes onstage with her parents, they are given a male infant named Bruno. The previous year, the family unit of Jonas' friend Asher was given a female newchild named Phillipa. Asher is eleven years older than Phillipa, and it is unusual to have such a large age gap between two children in the same family unit. Only four years separate Jonas and his sister, Lily. On this occasion, one family receives a "replacement child," named Caleb, because their first child, also named Caleb, wandered off and fell into the river that runs near the community. For a family unit to lose one of its two children is a rare occurrence in the community. When everyone follows the rules and acts the same (conforms), nothing bad happens, and the community remains an extremely safe place to live. When people don't follow the rules, they are considered inferior because they "infringed on the community's sense of order and success."
When the Ceremony of Twelve begins, Jonas, also known as Nineteen (the number given him at birth because he was the nineteenth child born that particular year), is sitting in the Auditorium in numerical order with the other Elevens. He is comforted with the realization that whatever Assignment he receives will be the right one for him. Rarely are people dissatisfied with their Assignments. If people are unhappy with their Assignments, or if they feel as though they no longer fit in the community, they can apply for release.
The Chief Elder's speech that begins the December Ceremony is ironic because in a community that chooses Sameness and security over individuality and freedom, here the Chief Elder acknowledges the differences that have been observed in each Eleven. She says to the Elevens, "You Elevens have spent all your years till now learning to fit in, to standardize your behavior, to curb any impulse that might set you apart from the group." However, although the Chief Elder states that differences exist among the community members, we wonder just how many differences there possibly could be in a community that blindly accepts Sameness.
Asher, Jonas' best friend, is called to the stage for his Assignment. The Chief Elder discusses Asher's difficulty learning precise language. As a Three, Asher would ask for a "smack" rather than a "snack." Each time Asher made this error, the Childcare worker whose responsibility it is to teach the children the importance of precision of language swatted Asher with a discipline wand. For a time, Asher stopped talking. Everyone in the Auditorium laughs at this memory. In our society, this form of "teaching" would be unacceptable. Jonas' community, however, obviously makes it quite clear to the children at a very young age that they must conform and obey — or else. In the midst of what appears to be a celebration and holiday for the community members, Lowry doesn't let us forget the sacrifices that people make when they choose to give up their individuality and freedom.
As the December Ceremony progresses and the Elevens receive their Assignments, the Chief Elder skips over Jonas' name. At first, Jonas thinks that the Chief Elder has made a mistake, but he quickly corrects his thinking because the Chief Elder would never make a mistake. Unfortunately, Jonas feels as though he has unknowingly done something wrong and is being punished. In describing the situation, Lowry writes that Jonas "tried to make himself smaller in his seat. He wanted to disappear, to fade away, not to exist." Jonas' feelings of humiliation and terror because he has been skipped over, as well as the confusion that everyone in the Auditorium feels, create suspense in the book. Lowry makes it obvious that Jonas is different, which in Jonas' community is not a positive attribute.
Jonas now goes onstage, and the Chief Elder announces that Jonas has not been assigned but, rather, has been "selected" to become the new Receiver of Memory, the most honored position in the community. She explains that as a new Receiver trains, he is to be "alone, apart," so the person selected must be perfect for the position because he can only be observed by the current giver, who will train Jonas. During the selection process, if anyone on the Committee of Elders would have had "dreams of uncertainty," the candidate would no longer have been considered for the position of Receiver. Â
Jonas confused about his future as the new Receiver of Memory. He feels fear because he will have to endure physical pain and will be alienated from his friends and family, but he feels pride because the members of the community are in awe of him — and he hasn't done anything yet. He has only been selected.
